Envelope moistener



April 26, 1932. 5 LOWER ENVELOPE MOISTENER Filed Sept. 15, 1928 Patented Apr. 26, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MELVIN s. LOWER, or BABZBERTON, 01-110, AssIeNon To run sun RUBBER coiitrm,

A oonrona'rron or onro ENVEQOPE MOISTENER Application filed. September 13, 1928. Serial No. 305,881

The present invention has for itsvobject to produce a simple and novel device having a reservoir'for water or other liquid, which liquid may be released at will to deliver the 5 same to a sponge or other distributing means. A further object of the present invention is to provide a device of this kind with mejans for effectively sealing it, when not in use;

A common use for this device will be the moistening of envelope flaps and, therefore, a further object of the present invention is to provide a deviceof this kind with a simple detachable base which will serve both as a seal and as a support for the same when not in use.

The various features of novelty whereby my invention is characterized will hereinafter be pointed out with particularity in the claims; but, for a full understanding of my invention and of its objects and advantages, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view partly in elevation and 5 partly in section of a device arranged in accordance with my invention, the section being on line 11 of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a section, on an enlarged scale, taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section on line 33 of Fig. 2, the scale being the same as Fig. 1 and the valve being shown open; Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3, the scale being the same as that of Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is a view, partly in side elevation and partly in section, showing the lower end of the device positioned in the supporting base.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a tubular body member of soft, that is more or less flexible, rubber. The bottom portiori of the member 1 is made bulging or egg-shaped, as indicatedat 2, so as to have somewhat the shape of an egg with the two ends out 01f.-

VVithin the section 2 is a sponge 3 that is preferably made of sponge rubber. The sponge preferably projects somewhat below the lower endof the body member. Just above the bulging section of the body memher is a transverse partition, preferably inte-- ral with the body member and dividing the interior of the latter into upper and lower chambers or compartments. The partition is preferably so shaped that its upper and lower surfaces are cone-shaped, the concave side of the partition being dlrected upwardly. The partition is slitted, as indicated at 5. Normally the slit is closed, as indicated in Fig. 2, so that there is no communication between the upper and lower chambers. When the center of the partition is pressed down, the slit is opened so that if there is a liquid in the upper chamber, as indicated at A, the liquid will flow down through the slit and wet the sponge.

For the purpose of depressing the partition, I provide a stilf rod 6, conveniently of hard rubber, that extends down through the center of the upper chamber into the vicinity of the partition. When the rod is pressed down, it engages the middle portion of the partition, pressing it down and opening the slit. The upper end of the rod may conveniently-be set into a socket in the underside of a cap 7 detachably fitted over the upper end end of the rod strikes thepartition and forces 30 the center down as indicated in Fig. 3. {The opened slit now produces a port or openin of considerable size, as best shown in Fig.

As soon as the pressure on the cap is released, the body member expands and lifts the rod so that the partition assumes its normal position and shuts off communication between the upper and lower chambers.

The partition maybe provided on its upper side with radial ribs 8, so that when the rod is pressed down it engages with these. ribs and does not form a seal with the body of the partition. In other words, the liquid' can flow between the ribs underneath the lower end of the rod and into the opening provided by the expanded slit.

When the device is first put into use, the cap is removed and the upper chamber or reservoiris filled with water or other liquid. The cap is then replaced and is pressed down so as to 0 en the slit and permit some of the liquid to ow into the sponge. As soon as the pressure on the cap stops, the body portion of the deviceexpands and lifts the rod, so that no more liquid will flow out of the reservoir. Thus the valve leading from the reservoir may be opened and closed at will so as to permit any desired amount of liquid to be discharged when and as desired. 1

When the device is not in use the liquid in and on the projecting portion of the sponge is exposed to atmosphere. If the liquid be water, the sponge will become dry. In order to protect the sponge and the liquid therein I provide a suitable holder as shown in Fig. 5. The holder consists of a cup-shaped member 10 having a wide base. The concavity in the cup is such that it will house the projecting portion of the sponge and a part of the bulbouslower end of-the body member. The mouth of the concavity is of such a size and shape that the bulb will wedge itself in and thus form a seal. The support or base member may convenientlybe made of rubber so that the entire device, including the body member with its cap and rod andthe sponge, may alsobe of rubber. The support or base member may be roughened on the underside so that when the moistening device isinserted in the same and set on the table or desk, it will have a stable support, due to the large area of the underside of the base member, and will not readily slide about because of the roughened under-surface of the base member.

While I have illustrated and described with particularity only a single preferred form of my invention, I do not desire to be limited to the exactstructural details thus illustrated and described but intend to cover all forms and arrangements which come within the definitions of my invention constituting the appended claims.

I claim 1. A moistening device comprising a hollow body member, a sponge in the lower end of said member and projecting therefrom, a transverse slitted partition of flexible rubber in the body member above the sponge forming a valve to prevent a downflow of liquid past the same, a stiff rod within said 1 member and extending from the top into the vicinity of said partition, said body member being of flexible rubber and-the parts being so proportioned that when a downward pressure is exerted on the upper end of said member the rod depresses the partition and opens the slit to permit liquid to flow down to the sponge.

2. A moistening device comprising a tubular open-ended body member of flexible rubber, a sponge in the lower end of said member and projecting therefrom, a flexible rubber partition extendin transversely across the interior of the said member above the sponge and having a normally closed slit through the same, a removable cap on the upper end of the body member, and a stifi rod secured to said cap and extending downwardl therefrom into the vicinity of the partition to permit the partition to be depressed by the rod and the slit to be opened when a downward pressure is exerted on the cap.

' 3. A moistening device comprising a hollow body member open at the lower end, a sponge in the lower end of said member, a transverse partition of flexible rubber extending across the interior of said member above said sponge and having a normallyclosed slit through the same, and a vertically-movable rod extending from the upper end of said member down through the same into the vicinity of said partition and adapted to depress the partition and open the slit when the rod is forced down.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specifi- 

